Dehumidifier



March 2; 1937. C. B. MAYS DEHUMIDIFIER Filed May l2, 1934 JTg-Z 2 Sheets-Sheet l Cd fle; .E dys.

Patented Mar. 2, 1937 PATENT oFEIcE 2,072,643 DEHUNHDIFIER kCharles B. Mays, Miami, Fla., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Charles'B. Mays, Miami, Fla.,

as trustee Application May 12, 1934, Serial No. '125,242 v 3 Claims.

It is well known that display cases equipped With refrigerating units frequently lose their value as advertising media for the contents contained therein because moisture condenses on the display windows of the cabinet, thereby hindering or preventing a View of the contents of the cabinet from the outside. In most refrigerator display cases there is provided a plurality of glass windows in spaced relation from each other so as to form dead air spaces therebetween' for insulation purposes, and I have now found that the removal of moisture from these dead air spaces prevents condensation of moisture on the glass and permits a clear View of the contents of the case at all times. In accordance with my invention I propose to eliminate moisturejfrom between the glass windows of refrigerator display cases by condensing the moisture. To accomplish this, cooling or vdrier coils or tubes are insertedin the .dead air spaces between the glass windows to condense any moisture that may be present in these dead air spaces. By having the surface of the drier coils colder than the air between the glass windows, when the dewpoint is reached and moisture in this air will condense on the surface of the coils instead of' lon the windows. It is known that only a fraction of a degree of temperature drop is needed to form moisture I when vthe dewpoint of the surrounding atmosphere is reached. The surface withthis extra fraction of a degree` of temperature drop draws the moisture, and therefore by maintaining the drier coils colder than the surrounding area, moisture will be condensed on thev coils instead of on the windows.

It is therefore an object of this invention to prevent the condensation of moisture on the display windows of refrigerator cases by condensing the moisture onV `cooled elements in close proximity to the display windows.

Another object of this invention is to provide cooled elements in the dead air spaces formed between the windows of refrigerator display cases for condensing moisture in the air in said spaces on the surfaces of the cooled elements.

y Another object of this invention is to prevent condensation of moisture on the windows of mechanical refrigerator display.v cases by passing some of the refrigerant through drier coils positioned in close proximity to said windows for cooling said coils and condensing moisture thereon.

Another object of this invention is to prevent the condensation of moisture on the insides of refrigerator display case windows by cooling the spaces between said windows below the .dewpoint of the air therein and removing the moisture condensed on the cooling medium.

Other and further objects of this invention will be'apparent from the following specification and drawings which form a part of vthis specicatlon.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 'is an isometric view of a common re- .frigerator display case which is readily adapted Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of a common typeoi' display refrigi erator case such as is illustrated in Figure 1 showing'a form of the moisture-removing means of this invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a refrigerator display case with thedisplay Windows removed to show a moisture-removing means according to this invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of a refrigerator display case showing an alternative form of moisture-removing means.

`Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the display case shown in Figure 4 with the windows removed to more clearly show the alternative form of moisture-removing means illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a refrigerator display case with the display windows removed to show another alterna.-

r'ality of display windows 2 are provided in 'Y spaced parallel relation from each other to form dead air insulating spaces 3 therebetween. It Should be `understood that any number of dis- A plurality or refrigerating cous s fed with compressed refrigerant through a pipe line from a source of refrigerating fluid (not shown) are suspended near the top of the refrigeratorl on the interior thereof for cooling the refrigerator.` As shown in Figures 3 and 5, a return pipe line I is provided to return the expanded refrigerant to the compressor unit (not shown). ,The refrigerating coils 5 are preferably held in position by a plurality of metal plates 8 which also serve to give more refrigerating area to the coils. While the battery of coils and plates 8 are specitl- -cally illustrated in Figures 2 to 6, it should be understood that any type of refrigerating medium may be used to cool the display case. For example, our invention, as will be more fully hereinafter described, is also applicable to a display case cooled by ice instead of by mechanical refrigeration.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, one of the refrigerator coils 5 (preferably the return coil) is tapped so that part or all of the refrigerant is, passed through drier tubes 2 'positioned in the deadair spaces I between the windows 2 along the ends thereof so as not to obstruct the view of the interior of the case I. The dried tubes 9 are preferably looped at the bottom thereof to form a U-shaped trap I2 and a return arm I3 for connection with a return pipe line I4 leada should be. understood that, if desired, all of the goto the compressor unit.

refrigerant passing through the coils 5 maybe directed through the tubes 9. This arrangement dispenses with the return pipe 1, since all of the refrigerant is then returned through the pipe I4 When thedrier tubes 5 arecooled with the refrigerant from the refrigerator coils 5, any moisture in the, dead air spaces 3 is condensed on the tubes 9. Pans or trays I5 are positioned directly below the U-bend I2 in the tubes 9 for collecting the moisture as it drips from the tubes. The pans or trays I5 are inserted through slots I6 in the sides of the display case and are equipped with handles I 1 for permitting their removal and cleaning. A seal I8 is preferably positioned adjacent the handle I 'I for closing the slots I6 and also for preventing the trays I5 from beinginserted too far in the spaces 3.

A pan for collecting water condensed on the refrigerating coils 5 and plates 8 is positioned below the coils 5. The tray 20 is provided with a drain 2I and a drain pipe 22 for removing the water collected when the refrigerator coil is defrosted. In Figures 2 and 3 the drain line 2.2 is merely connected to the sewer as is customary, but as shown in-F'igures 4 and 5 the drain l'tie 22 is connected with drier tubes 23 positioned in the spaces 3 between the windows 2. The drier tubes. 22 are similar to the tubes 8 and are provided with the U-bend I2 at the bottom thereof and return arms 24. The cold water which is melted from the refrigerating coils on the defrosting cycle thus passes through the tubes 23 thereby cooling the same and effecting a condensation of the moisture in the dead air spaces 3 on the tubes. The water. after flowing through the tubes up through the return arm 24, is removed through a return line 25 which may be connected with the sewer or any suitable dispensing means. It is obvious that the moisture-removing structure shown in Figures fi and 5 is operative only on the defrosting cycle in mechanical refrigerators. However, the pan 20 may be used in the ordinary ice box to hold a cake of ice. The water from the melting ice then drains through the tube 23 in the same manner as on the defrosting cycle in mechanical refrigerators.

The drain line 22 is preferably formed into a U-bend at 26. The U-bend 26 may be securely anchored into the side wall of the display case. As shown in Figure 6, the drain 22 from the` tray 20 is connected with a drier tube 30 positioned in a dead air space between the display windows. The drier tube 30 is not provided with a return arm 24 as shown in Figure 4 but is merely bent at right angles as at 3i and passed through the side wall of the display case to a drain pipe l2. This figure illustrates that the U-bend I2 may be dispensed with if desired.

From the above description it is evident that my invention comprises the prevention of moisture condensation on the adjacent surfaces of spaced panes of glass forming the windows of refrigerator display cases by providing cooled elements between the panes for condensing the moisture on the elements instead of on the glass panes. Since the'moisture will be condensed on the coldest point within the said rair spaces between the display case windows, and since only a fraction of a degree of refrigeration is necessary to cool the condensing elements below the temperature of the ywindows for effecting condensation away from the windows, my invention is operative at practically no cost.

Any means for tapping refrigerant from a mechanical refrigerator into the drier tubes of this invention may be used. In Figures 2 yand 3 there is illustrated a method of tapping the expansion coils of the refrigerator for passing part or all of the refrigerant on the return cycle through drier tubes. It is obvious that the refrigerant may be tapped at any point between the compressor feed line and the return line to the compressor. Since it is preferable and more economical to merely condense moisture on the tubes 5 without freezing the moisture so condensed, only a small amount of refrigerant need be passed through the tubes.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate that cold water from any refrigerating means may be passed through the driertubes to effect a condensation of moisture in the said air spaces on the surface of the tubes.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range Without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereonotherwise than necessitated 'by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. In combination with a refrigerator display,A

case having display windows in spaced relation means for preventing condensation of moisture on the inside surface of said windows which comprise drier coils positioned in said dead air spaces, means for cooling the interior of said display case, a pan below said cooling means to 'collect ice water therefrom, a drain at the bottom of said pan, means for connecting said drain with said drier coils to ow ice water therethrough to cool said coils and means for collecting moisture condensed lon the drier coils as it drips therefrom.

2. In combination with a refrigerator hdisplay case having a plurality of glass display windows in spaced parallel relation to form dead air space therebetween to insulate the interior of the refrigerator case from the outside atmosphere Without obstructing a view of the inside of the case, means positioned along the ends of said vin said dead air space below said drier coils for collecting the condensed moisture as it drips from the cooled coils. s

3. In combinatiomfa refrigerator display case having a storage compartment and display windows in spaced relation to form a dead air insulation space therebetween permitting inspection of the contents of the storage compartment, means for cooling said storage compartment, drier coils positioned in said d ead air space, a pan for collecting Water as it drips from the cooling means in the storage compartment, a drain at Vthe bottom of said pan connected with said drier coils to ow cold water through the coils and condense moisture in the dead air space on said coils and means for removing the condensed moisture dripped from said coils from said dead air space. l

CHARLES B, MAYS. 

